Compare Prices : Sony HDR-HC7 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: More pixels, a more potent battery, and headphone and mic jacks are incremental improvements to last year's model, but the HDR-HC7 now looks like a AU$2,000-plus camcorder.

Pros: HD highlights the world in all its glorious imperfection, Now looks and feels like a AU$2,000-plus item, Manual controls fiddly and require stepping through the menu system, MiniDV/HDV isn't for everyone

Cons: Manual controls fiddly and require stepping through the menu system, MiniDV/HDV isn't for everyone

Award: Editor's Choice!

Verdict: HD is more than just high resolution and huge TV screens--it's also better color. In this case, XvYCC color, a space that's able to encode a larger variety of colors that predecessors such as sRGB or YCC. Sony is first out of the gate to support XvYCC ...

Pros: Lovely handling and images, choice of HDV/DV record & playback, mic input and headphone output, comprehensive digital and analogue connectivity, ease of use

Verdict: Despite the grumbles, above, the HC7 produces cracking good pictures and sound, proving that recording high definition to tape isn't quite finsihed yet.

Pros: Excellent video and performance ; satisfying photo quality ; a decent set of manual controls for the target audience ; bundled FireWire cable

Cons: Annoying touch screen interface

Verdict: A great HD camcorder for deep-pocketed leisure shooters, as long as you like the Sony Handycam HDR-HC7's touch screen interface.